The Butterfly Effect
by Jayne DLM
Summary: In chaos theory, the butterfly effect is the sensitive dependence on initial conditions in which a small change in one state can result in large differences in a later state. This is Hermione's story. Originally written as part of the 2016 Time Travel Fest. I will be posting more chapters as i was unable to wrap this story up properly by the due date of the fest.


The post-Voldemort era had been kind to Hermione professionally. After completing her last year of schooling at Hogwarts, she joined the Ministry of Magic, Department of Mysteries and her career had been on an upward trajectory since.

Hermione's private life was another matter. She and Ron had stayed together for two years after the final battle, however, in the end, they decided they were better suited to being friends. Since then, Hermione's focus was solely on her career. She had little to no social life thanks to the nature of her job, which was working as an Unspeakable.

As part of her job, Hermione was often required to travel back in time. She had always been hyper-vigilant and took utmost care to ensure that she left minimal disturbance in the time stream, and only did what was absolutely necessary to satisfy the particular mission.

As Hermione walked into the Time Room within the Ministry, she couldn't help but feel excited. This was to be her last mission before she went on a much-deserved vacation. She had finally relented to Ginny's pressure to go on a "girls trip" and was booked in for a magical world tour.

Out of nowhere, Hermione sneezed. She brought her hand to her head feeling as though she was getting a headache. There was a strict protocol around time travel and sickness. If she were to report that she was starting to feel even slightly unwell, the mission would be postponed, and she would have to cancel her long awaited vacation. She shook her head defiantly. There was no way she would cancel the first vacation she had booked in eight years. After all what harm could a small headache and sniffle do? She thought to herself.

Before Hermione started to use the Time Turner she unrolled the scroll and read her mission brief for one last time before discarding it.

The mission seemed simple enough. On the 4th of January 1990, an artefact deemed to be important by Ministry Officials was stolen from the Magical Museum of Arts in London. Her mission was to retrieve the artefact before the assailant could steal it, hide it within a specified Ministry safe house before returning back to present time. She noted that the artefact originated from Egypt and held mysterious powers. Not all of these powers were catalogued, which made handling it precarious, but the ancient runes spoke about how it was thought to hold the power to unlock anything.

Hermione lifted her wand and efficiently cast an Incendio spell on the scroll, watching it combust and turn into a small pile of ash on the floor.

Holding the Time-Turner carefully in her hands she started the ritual of spinning its parts with precision.

* * *

With a whoosh, Hermione found herself in the slightly different looking Time Room of the Ministry.

While still slightly unbalanced from the time travel, Hermione let out an almighty sneeze that propelled her backwards and left her falling unceremoniously onto her ass. The sound of her sneeze echoed in the large room.

Hermione huffed in frustration. "Please, not today," she muttered to herself "Do. Not. Get. Sick," she told herself as if that would have any real effect.

Deciding to ignore her mild symptoms, she looked down at her enchanted watch and nodded happily to herself. Yes, it was the 3rd of January 1990. Next, she cast a Notice Me Not charm before deciding to get down to business. First thing to do was to visit the target's location and ascertain the layout of the Museum; she would then analyse any security threats before finally retrieving the artefact safely and hopefully being home in time for dinner.

She quickly walked out of the room, with her dependable bag with an Extendable Charm placed upon it, and made her way through the Ministry building.

She walked through the crowd of Ministry Officials unnoticed. With a Notice Me Not charm on her, she felt like she had an opportunity to really observe people without the fear of them catching her staring.

Despite having travelled back in time many times, the novelty never really wore off. 1990 had been an important time in her life, as it was the year that she first attended Hogwarts. She looked around at the witches and wizards bustling around her. They looked childlike and almost naive to the undercurrent of evil, corruption, and hate that existed. She also couldn't help but notice the 90's fashion in the magical world, and chuckled at the similarities in the magical and muggle worlds when it came to women's hair styles. Oh, the purebloods would be mortified! She sniggered to herself.

Shaking her head and getting back to business, Hermione made her way to the Floo Network and threw in some powder as she spoke clearly, "Magical Museum of Arts in London".

With a swirl, Hermione landed in the Magical Museum of Arts in London.

In the main lobby, she eyed the information area and grabbed a charmed map which showed the layout of the museum. Quickly studying it, she saw where her target was located and made her way through the Museum. As she walked, she took care to note where security measures had been taken, and what wards had likely been used where. Using an Anti-Ward charm that the Ministry had devised for such classified missions, she flicked her wrist and cast the charm which (as the name would suggest) temporarily disabled the wards and magical security measures.

Hermione took care to look like she was going for a casual stroll, and stopped every so often to look at a display. She automatically used every reflective surface available to scan the room and identify potential risks. Once satisfied she had taken all necessary precautions, Hermione made her way to her target's location.

Finally reaching it, she looked at the artefact with interest. It was a golden key that floated above a stone carved pedestal.

Making sure that no one was around her, she cast a further Disillusionment charm over herself which made her more or less invisible. She quickly cast an Anti-Ward charm over the golden key. This bought her approximately 3 minutes before any alarm would be raised. She quickly grabbed the golden key with full intention of Apparating on the spot when suddenly Hermione felt another sneeze coming. She paused for a moment, as she felt it coming.

"Ah…ah…. achooooooo."

Hermione let out an almighty sneeze which caused her to fumble and drop her bag as well as the golden key. Her things were spread all over the ground, and she worked quickly to pick everything up. She silently chastised herself for being so clumsy at such a crucial moment. This was the opposite of what she was trained to do!

In the midst of collecting all her belongings, what Hermione did not see was a Muggle pen that had rolled away on the white marble floor.

As Hermione was about to put the key safely in her bag, she heard footsteps approaching from behind.

She glanced behind momentarily, still bent over, and was shocked to see none other than Lucius Malfoy and Severus Snape walking purposely towards her, with a very young Draco Malfoy trailing behind. In a slight panic, she quickly tucked the key under her robes and in her bra instead of in her bag.

Realising that they wouldn't be able to see her, Hermione relaxed somewhat before standing up and straightening her robes. However, when she looked up from her robes, she found herself completely surprised when Lucius Malfoy, Severus Snape, and Draco Malfoy were staring at her with their jaws agape.

Shit, they can see me!

Hermione outwardly gasped, she noticed their shocked expressions as they stared at her, before Apparating on the spot to the designated safe house.

The three males stood stationary looking at the spot where the woman had Apparated from. They said nothing about what they felt the moment they saw the woman before them, but something inside them seemed to change. It was as if a part of their soul was unlocked and running rampid in their every being.  
Lucius was only disrupted from his stupor when he saw something at his shoe. He curiously bent over, picked it up and brought it up to his eyes, examining it closely.

For Lucius Malfoy had never seen this before. It was a pen.

Hermione landed in the safe house, put the key in the magical safe, and placed the specified spells on it to ensure that it would be indeed safe.

Eager to get home, she sat down and went about her business. She took out the Time Turner and started the ritual of spinning its parts with precision.

Little did Hermione know, that as she spun the time turner around carefully, she had irrevocably changed the time stream and her future.

Hermione landed in the Ministry Time Room with a thud in a heap on the floor. The time travel amplified her sickness symptoms to the point where she had lost consciousness, hitting her head upon reaching her present time.

No one knew exactly how long Hermione had been lying on the ground unconscious, however, once she was found, she was rushed straight to St Mungo's Hospital.

* * *

Hermione slowly opened her eyes. Her mind was foggy, and her mouth was dry. She could also feel a dull headache which seemed to be concentrated at her temples.

The first thing Hermione really noticed was that the room was painfully lit. She squinted for a few moments, allowing her eyes time to adjust.

Once her eyes focused, Hermione sat up and noticed was that she was in an unfamiliar room. She glanced around and noted the potion vials, the diagnostic glitter and the floating quill and long scroll which was taking notes about her health status. It was clear she was a patient at St Mungo's.

Taking a deep breath, Hermione tried to wade through the foggy abyss that was her normally sharp mind. She knew her name was Hermione Granger, and she was born on the 19th of September 1979. She had a very clear memory of her past in Muggle London with her parents and her early years at Hogwarts. Yet when she searched her memories from later years of Hogwarts and beyond she was overcome with a sense of confusion. It was like she was looking through a tattered curtain, unable to see the full expanse of the landscape. She knew the basics. That she had great friends, a great apartment and that she worked as an Unspeakable, yet it felt like she was missing a lifetime of important memories.

She did, however, have a clear memory of the mission, possibly the most clumsy mission of her career to date.

The next thing that Hermione noticed was a copy of the Daily Prophet next to her bed. Her eyes instantly went to the date which read 15 August 2009. She had travelled back in time nearly a month ago which meant that she had been presumably at St Mungo's for some time.

Next to the Daily Prophet was a get well card.

It read:  
Dear Hermione,  
Sending you all our healing magic. Get well soon!  
Lots of love, Harry and Ginny.

Hermione smiled.

Next to the card there was also a vial of purple potion with a note attached.

It read:  
Hermione,  
I have brewed this replenishing potion because I do not trust the fools that call themselves healers at St Mungo's to do a competent job. Please take it when you wake up.  
Severus x.

"Severus" Hermione spoke out loud. "Severus with a kiss?" she squeaked in an alarmed heightened voice. Automatically Hermione was deeply confused. The only Severus she knew was Severus Snape, her long since deceased potions professor.

She still recognised his neat quillwork from her years at Hogwarts, not to mention the snarky tone of the note. It could be none other than Severus Snape. How in Merlin's wand was he not dead? Why was he brewing her a potion of any sort? And more to the point, why was he signing anything to her with a kiss?

A sinking feeling resided in the pit of her stomach. She instantly had a flashback to her latest time travel experience where she had seen Severus at the Museum.

"Oh shit, " she murmured, realising she had somehow utterly fucked up and changed history.

She stared at the purple vial which was taunting her. Reasoning that had been a double agent for the Order, she decided it was safe to take the potion. After all, Severus was an excellent potions master, and clearly, they were friends.

The next thing that Hermione saw was a book. She looked at the expensive looking leather cover with the title written in gold "Arithmancy Secrets, an Egyptian Artefact and the key to unlocking one's heart". She ran her index finger reverently along the title, instantly excited to read the book. She then noticed the golden key indent on the bottom of the cover that looked suspiciously like the artefact she had just retrieved for the Ministry. 'Coincidence? No' Hermione thought to herself; she did not believe in coincidences.

Upon opening the book, however, there was a written message.

It read:  
Dearest Hermione,  
A book to keep your wonderful mind stimulated. I believe you will find it very interesting indeed.  
Lucius xxx.

Hermione instantly threw the book across the bed, as if she had been burnt. Despite being thrown, the book eerily landed open on the page with the message.

"What. The. Fuck." Hermione spoke to herself, staring wide-eyed at the words in disbelief. She instantly made the assumption that this book was from none other than Lucius Malfoy. Why would Lucius ever be on good terms with her? He was evil; she was Muggle-born. Things couldn't get clearer than that!

Hermione deliberately tried to ignore the fact the familiar tone to the message and the fact that it had been signed with not one but three kisses. What in Morgana's name was next? she thought to herself.

Clearly, she had royally fucked up and changed many things. She rubbed her temples feeling the slam of a headache upon her head.

It was only then that she noticed a box of chocolates and single red rose discretely tucked away on a shelf just out of reach. In that moment she had the eerie memory of who else she had seen at the Museum and gulped, not really wanting to see who had left the chocolates and flowers.

With great hesitation, Hermione got out bed and reached over to the box of chocolates and the bunch of flowers. It was clear they were from the same person given the chocolate box had been enchanted, so it matched the expensive looking vase the flowers were in. She looked for a note, but there was nothing. No clue as to who left her the chocolates and flowers. She carefully placed them back on the shelf.

Once back on the bed, Hermione decided that since so much had seemingly changed (and she had no memory of any of it), the first recourse was to read the Daily Prophet in front of her. At least this way she could catch up on current events.

However, before Hermione could start reading, she was interrupted when a healer came into the room.

"I see you are awake," the healer commented warmly as he walked over to the enchanted scroll, inspecting the notes about her vitals. After he was clearly satisfied with what he saw, he moved towards Hermione and sat at the edge of the bed.

She sat up a bit straighter in the bed, giving him her full attention.

"Tell me, Hermione, how are you feeling?"

"I am ok I guess," she answered unsure of herself before quickly adding "My memory appears to be damaged."

He nodded sympathetically while clearly studying her.

"It is to be expected in cases like yours."

"Cases like mine? What happened?"

"It appears that you were involved in a time travelling accident. You were found unconscious at the Ministry. It has taken you some time to recover".

That instantly made sense.

"How long was I unconscious?".

"Nearly a month. Although looking at your vitals this morning, you seem to be well and truly on the mend. I shall let your family know that you are awake. They have been all hours this past month and will want to hear in the change in your condition, however firstly you need to take this".

The healer gestured towards a potion vial in his hand.

Hermione nodded and willingly took the potion in her hand and downed it in one gulp.

The drowsy feeling hit her almost immediately, and she found herself sinking back into a laying position in the bed.

* * *

It was dark when Hermione started to wake up again. She was still very groggy from the potion but was aware enough to know she was snuggly wrapped up in something warm. Feeling secure she drifted off again, but not before shifting herself backwards slightly, deeper into the warmth.

It was morning when Hermione woke up again. She was still under the influence of the potion and did not feel entirely with it. As she lay there falling in and out of sleep, she gradually became aware that she was not wrapped up in something warm but more to the point, wrapped up with someone.

As if electrocuted she reacted.

"What. The. Fuck!" she screamed as she violently pushed the encroaching hands that rested on her breast away from her and the person fell off the bed with a thud.

"Is that any way to greet your husband?" a familiar voice said, clearly still in shock from landing flat on his ass on the ground.

Hermione stared down from her hospital bed at none other than the dishevelled form of Draco Malfoy.

"Hu hu husband?" she shrieked loudly.

If she had been looking closely, she would have seen his shocked face overtaken by one of concern.

"Hermi."

"Get the fuck out of my room," she interrupted.

"But," he stood up and tried to reach towards her.

"OUT! OUT! OUT!" she screamed like a banshee. He withdrew his hand and looked like a puppy that had just been kicked before he reluctantly left the room, his metaphoric tail between his legs.

The healers quickly rushed into the room upon hearing the commotion. By this stage, Hermione was sitting on the bed with her arms wrapped around her legs shaking.

"He says he is my husband, " Hermione said in a raised voice, eyes as wide as saucers.

"That is because he is!" a healer exclaimed before another healer promptly elbowed them in the side causing him to wince.

She stared at them in disbelief, eyes full of pity staring back at her.

"No. No, he isn't," she stuttered.

The senior healer spoke to the other healers too quietly for Hermione to hear before stepping forward.

"Hermione, this is going to come as a shock. However, Mr Malfoy is correct; you are indeed married". The healer passed her a ministry document before taking a step backward as if fearing her reaction.

Her eyes quickly scanned the Certificate of Marriage.

It read:  
On 8 June 2007 Hermione Granger was bound in marriage to Draco Malfoy, Lucius Malfoy, and Severus Snape.

"No," she choked out as the panic set in.

She started to hyperventilate before a healer cast a sleeping spell upon her.

What Hermione didn't see was three very concerned men standing at the door, looking devastated, having just heard that the love of their life had lost her memory.


End file.
